a.k.a. Kujira no Kora wa Sajō ni Utau
Genre: Fantasy
Company: J.C. Staff
Format: 12 episodes
Dates: 10/08/2017 – 12/24/2017
“You really don’t know anything about the outside, do you?”
On the Mud Whale, there are two types of people: those who can wield magic, or “thymia”, and those that cannot. Journeying through a sea of sand, they live in harmony with one another. Everything changes, however, when an expedition to a neighboring “ship” results in the discovery of a girl who bears no emotion.
summary by Pachi
Reviewed: 04/12/2021 by
Grade: 84%
Highs: flawless animation, fascinating world and concepts, engrossingly emotional
Lows: too many characters, not enough time to flesh out some ideas
A fantasy epic, Children of the Whales was brought into American homes through streaming giant Netflix. The platform may be notorious for burying its diamonds beneath an overwhelmingly lackluster selection, but Children is a gem worth seeking. While not necessarily reinventing the wheel, it’s an engaging look into a world unlike many of those that dominate the post-apocalyptic genre.
Most notable is the series’ style of animation, which stays at a relative high throughout the show’s entirety. A unique use of textures and colors make each scene exquisite to behold, as they flow from one to the next like a tapestry. Scenes of conflict are high-octane, and when coupled with the more heartfelt moments, makes for a well-rounded watch. Even despite its high-fantasy appeal, we’re sucked into the world of the Mud Whale through the ardent humanity of its cast.
Unfortunately, when it comes to having an ensemble cast and a relatively short span of twelve episodes, lines can begin to blur. We’re lead through the lives and viewpoints of several different people, each of them allotted only so much time to truly develop any depth. Characters and concepts seem to be introduced within a flurry of events, and it becomes increasingly difficult keeping up with names, much less character arcs.
Questions begin stacking on top of one another, with several left unanswered by the time the story closes. Luckily, the things we are able to deduce are enough to satiate the palette and give the show legs to stand on, and the open-ended nature of the finale is all the more welcoming for a future installment.
There’s uncertainty as to when (or if) one may follow however, due to the restrictions placed upon studios during this ongoing pandemic. But here’s hoping that we see more of the Mud Whale’s civilians, and more of the world in which they’re (also) only still learning about.
Anime Academy 